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Newspaper
Waunakee News
Location
Waunakee, Wisconsin, United States of America
Date
Dec 29, 1899
Page
7
Disjointed excerpts reveal a reflective New Year mood and intertwined personal revelations. Characters discuss endings and beginnings, missed opportunities, reconciliations, and past heartache across shared memories and strained romances. Elisa Armstrong provides voice amid the interwoven scenes.
In a reminiscence scene Mr Spooner and his wife recall a quarrel from a year ago. They discuss Dora’s hidden feelings for Dick, Dora’s tears and the boarding house meeting, and the strange hints of romance tied to new year memories.
The piece notes the fading custom of New Year calls in eastern society. It contrasts past open houses with today’s discreet practices as cities grew and visitors increased, leading to closed doors on New Year’s Day and many elites retreating to country seats while a few observe the day quietly.
The text describes New Year’s Day customs where intimate friends gather, serve hot coffee or lemonade, and light refreshments like biscuits or cake. Country life preserves old-time social norms with restrained visits, small servings, and no alcohol. Ladies host in towns and countryside, offering beverages and snacks limited to non alcoholic choices.
The piece argues New Year practices in the United States arose from social evolution and natural selection among immigrant groups. It notes the Knickerbocker custom of visiting ladies with refreshments spread westward and southward, became more general, then faded and revived periodically.
A Philadelphia Times reminiscence recalls a Dutch family in early New York who celebrated New Year’s with an immense table of food. Four enormous turkeys, two barrels of pickled oysters, beef rounds, headcheese sculptures, mince pies, turnovers, tarts, and New Year’s cakes filled the table and downstairs offerings included hot oysters, coffee, hot punch, and a large cold punch bowl kept busy from morning to midnight.
A Parisian New Year custom article notes visits to broad lists with kisses on each cheek and sugar plums as distinguishing marks. It mentions sweetmeats in windows and varied forms of gifts as part of the celebration.
An excerpt from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat lists items described as chocolate indulgences and gift ideas. It paints a vivid scene with confections like boons and caramels, and mentions edible decorations such as sugar lilies, roses, orchids, cabbages and roots. The tone is whimsical and nostalgic.
A dialogue between a young poet and a friend ends with the friend misunderstanding the poet's vow. The friend assumes the poet has sworn off writing poetry and drinking, while the poet insists he has sworn off drinking. The friend exits disappointed.
A brief dialogue contrasts a character’s vow to change with a wry remark about seasons. The exchange centers on a mock pledge that no new leaves will grow until spring, implying a delayed or limited change.
A fragmentary line hints at a tragic lyric about a fickle maid who laughs as the speaker recalls the closing of the year on December thirty first. The tone suggests a seasonal poem reflecting fate and time.
Roscoe Conkling Bruce, son of the late Mississippi Senator, wins Harvard prize debate against Princeton and leads among 3,000 students. A freshman, he earned the Pastor prize and is admired for intellect and dignity, while his color advances progress at Exeter and Harvard. Bruce’s namesake mentor was Senator Roscoe Conkling of New York who welcomed Bruce in 1875. Bruce died two years ago. his widow leads Booker T. Washington’s Tuskegee school.
In Washington the senate will start debate Thursday January 4 on the Republican drafted finance measure as Aldrich aims for speedy passage. Allen takes oath of office and a five member pension law commission bill passes. The house session lasts two hours with routine resolutions and distribution of the president’s message and remarks by Grow and Bell before members depart for holidays.
Senator Hoar opened with a broad preamble urging equal constitutional rights for blacks and Indians, self government for cities, clean elections, and non intervention. Senator Fairbanks introduced a $2000 annual pension bill for Gen Lawton’s widow. The House did little, filibustered a motion to adjourn, and adjourned to January 3.
An old woman sued a Sunday school for 3000 damages after her watermelons vanished while she was detained for selling without a permit. The Labette County case awarded her 56.50, with expected execution against school officers.
A preliminary state ment from the board of agriculture estimates Great Britain’s total wheat harvest in 1899 at 65,529,325 bushels, down from 73,026,865 bushels in 1898.
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